New York governor Andrew Cuomo has introduced legislation to legalise e-bikes and scooters throughout the US state.
The language is similar to a bill he vetoed last month, except it establishes operating and safety measures that Cuomo said were lacking in the previous bill.
The legislation would create three classes of e-bikes: Class 1 pedal-assist with a maximum speed of 20mph; Class 2 throttle bikes with a maximum speed of 20mph; and and Class 3 throttle bikes with a maximum speed of25 mph.
It would prohibit scooters and e-bikes on pavements; require all riders to be 16 or older; require all Class 3 e-bike users to wear helmets; require scooter riders aged under 18 to wear helmets; and set a speed limit of 15 mph for scooters and 20-25 mph for e-bikes, depending on their class.
Local governments would have the authority to add extra restrictions such as lower speed limits or helmet requirements for e-bike users of all classes.
They also would have the option to ban the devices entirely.
